Magazine for motion picture cameras



Jan. 24, 1939. A. M. FROST 2,144,622

MAGAZINE FOR MOTION PICTURE CAMERA$ Filed July 27, 1936 Mam/1 71% fleosr,

INVENTOR,

AQ- ATTORNEY.

Patentedlan. 24, 1939 I PATENT OFFICE 2,144,62; MAGAZINE FOR MOTION PICTURE CAMERAS Adolph n. ma, Arv'erne, N. n, asslgnor or ninety percent to Ernest Stern, Astoria, N. I.-

Application July 2'1, 1936, Serial No. 92,101 3 Claims. (Cl. 242-71) This invention relates to magazines for moviiig picture cameras, and has for its main object to provide a novel, simple, efiicient means to insure that the film in the magazine is at a 5 standstill, during the time of eaclrexposure.

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide a magazine for a moving picture camera as characterized hereinbefore wherein the mechanical spring, etc., means, now in use for the purapparent as the specification of the same pro- 20 ceeds.

The usual motion picture camera has an aperture plate, against this acts a spring pressure plate to stop and hold the film still during the time of exposure. In some cases this aperture plate and the corresponding pressure plate areplaced in the film magazine. The adjustment of this springtension is very critical and un-' reliable. If too loose, it produces an unsteady picture, if too tight, it may retard the action of ggthe camera or damage the perforations of the film, and it is a constant seat of trouble by causing scratches and abrasions, thereby marring the picture itself.

Some of the present motion picture cameras 33 employ a pilot pin which securely holds the film during the time of exposure, but this method requires complicated mechanism to function accurately. My invention remedies all these shortcomings 40 and mechanical dimculties by eliminating the pressure upon the aperture plate with an extremely simple braking device, furthermore only the perforated or outside edge of the film is in contact with the walls of the guide slot for the same, and neither the front, nor the back of the active portion of the film is ever in contact with any part -of the mechanism while passing through said slot, thereby preventing any possible chances for scratchings or abrasions on the {,0 picture portion of the film. This braking device is placed in close proximity to the aperture plate. It has an automatic and instantaneous action upon the film as soon as the intermittent motion ceases to pull the film downwar and 55holds. the film in a positive grip, is still and steady during the time of exposure.

While this grip is positive, it is still gentle, and does not retard the action of the camera,

and feeds the film in' an even fiow.

60 In the preferred form, my braking device pose mentioned, are all' eliminated and-said obv consists of two oninore raised projections on the edges of the narrow part of the film channel and the film will go through between them in a wave line formation. Due to the resiliency and the natural springy tendency of the film, a slight friction will arise which will be sufiicie'nt to stop the film securely in its path for the duration of the exposure. It will be further shown that the inner structure of my film magazine has an upper compartment which holds the unexposed film, and a lower compartment which receives the exposed film, and between these compartments is provided a slot facing the aperture plate, the width of said slot corresponding to the thickness of the film which 15 is. held fiat against the aperture plate without exerting any pressure upon the film itself.

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification and accompanying the same, and in which similar characters of reference indicate identical parts in the various figures:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved mechanism formagazines for motion picture cameras, the cover thereof having been removed, and

Fig. 2 is an end elevation or front view thereof, a

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken onthe line 3-4 of Fig. 3, the rest of the magazine being diagrammatically indicated with dash and dot lines only;

Fig. 4 is a top view of my improved magazine a portion thereof being shown in section as indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 shows a fragment of a film to be used in my magazine, it being understood that any 5 size or width of film may be used.

Referring now to'the drawing more closely, by characters of reference, the,numeral II indicates my magazine for motion picture cameras,

in general, being in this embodiment thereof 40' formed of a lower box 'I l, and a top or cover I! having lightsproof qualities preventing all light from entering, excepting that so desired, during the time of exposure, while the picture is being made. 5

In the embodiment shown, I place a suitably shaped body or insert l3 into the box ll, en-

tirely and snugly fitting the inside of box II, and having formed therein an uppercompartment ll for the roll of the unexposed fresh film, a lower compartment I5 for the roll of the exposed film, and a narrowslot or path of the configuration shown in Fig. 1 and generally indicated by the numeral I, having an upper lateral portion I'I, communicating with the circular film compartment ll, a longitudinal main portion l8, being partly formed by the respectiveside wall I! of the box H, and the contour of insert l3, and a lower generally lateralend portion 2l,'communicating with the recess II.

All along the upper and lower ends or openings of the film compartments II and I5, and par--v recessed or further away from the film 22 as indicated at 23. This closer support of the film at the two marginal edges 24 thereof, (Fig. 5) and the recess of the guiding walls along the center part 25 of said film has the object to insure that the film is in the right position, smooth, fiat and running without obstruction and the picture taking portions thereof are not exposed to friction or other harmful efiects. For the same purpose the portion, of the exposure side or wall I! of the magazine is bent or recessed outwardly while the upper and lower margins of said wall are left in closer contact, with the mentioned edges 24 of the film, as indicated at 21. 'The film 22 illustrated in the figures is of that style which will coil or roll up by its own inherent elasticity, and at 20 I show'the unfinished feed out roll thereof,

while at 28 the finished exposed film roll is shown as curling up by its own action in the recess [5. It will be, however, understood that I may employ any of the usual mechanical feed out and take .up devices in the film compartment ll and 15,,

if desired.

As it is well-known to those versed in the art, the exposure or front side I! of the magazine will have an exposure aperture 30' for taking the successive pictures, a further aperture 3| through which any of the usual well-known propelling devices may reach the film and operate on the perforations 32 in the film, and in some constructions it may have a further smaller aperture 31 through which the so-called pilot pin may, reach the film and hold the same during the exposures.

These elements are no part of this invention, are well-known in the art, and for this reason they have not been further described in this specification.

In the projecting upper andlowerledges 2| 'of the upper wall 34:01 the upper lateral reach or branch i I of the film slot or path I I provide a downwardly projecting curved cam like portion 35, and placed opposite and atthe two sides of the same I provide .two curved cam like projections," in the lower wall 31. The arrangement ofthe cam-like rounded projections 35 and 36 is such thatthe film 22 in passing between them will be slightly pressed against each of them through its curvature between them and through its inherent resiliency, but it may snuglya'nd still easily pass between them when it is being propelled by the devices through the aperture 3| as has been mentioned hereinbefore, and is well-known to those versed 'in the art. When, however, these propelling means for the film are stopped for the period of an exposure the inherent elasticity of the film will cause the same to be pressed against said cam projections 35 and 36 and its own friction thereon will instantly stop the feed out from the roll 2l,-the whole filmwill come, to a standstill and will not move until the propelling mechanism will again act thereon.-

. the film.

' This is exa'ctly'the condition which is most desirable in a moving picture, and an absolute necessity inthe making of them, since the film will be allowed .a snug, smooth but easy movement, and said movement will be instantaneously brought to a standstill for the duration of the Aside of many other shortcomings and drawbacks, as some of them have been recited hereinbefore, the present propelling and stopping means for films have the great fault that afterthe film is attempted to be stopped a" portion of the same, starting from the feed out roll 28, will still keep on moving by its own inertia, and my brake device formed'by the cam projecone another and still have the described braking eifect on said film, while of course I may use any other appropriate brake device for the purpose described and in the manner here indicated. instead of the simple one shown and described hereinbefore.

It is also obvious that other forms, shapes and constructions maybe used to provide this inner structure, the film compartments, and the slot or 'path for the film, so, for-instance, said re+ cesses -and path .may be constructed by hollow bodies or frame like structures instead of the solid body It, here indicated for the sake of simplicity.

In general, I want to remark that while I illustrate 'a preferred embodiment oi my inventon,

having a feed out and a take up compartment for the film and a narrowslot or path for the same between the two, permitting a snug but easy sliding of the film therealong, a brake device in the walls of said narrow pathadapted 'to, stop the film when its propelling mechanism ceases to operate, said brake device being formed by projections in the walls of said path at the opposite side of the film, against which the film is pressed by its own resiliency, oppositely placed narrow projecting ledges provided at both openj ings of said narrow path, the rest of the walls of said path being recessed from said film, said pro-' jections being provided in said ledges.

2. In a' magazine for motion picture camerashaving a feed out and a take, up compartment for the film and a narrow slot or path for the same between the two, permitting a snug but easy the walls .of said narrow path adapted to stop the film when its propelling mechanism. ceases to operate, said brake device being formed by projections in the walls of said path'at the opposite side of the fllm against which the film is pressed by its own resiliency, said brake device being applied adjacent to said'feed outroll, and

no other brake or pressuredevice being used on sliding of the film therealong, a brake device in 3. In a magazine forv motion picture cameras; V as set forth in claim 2, the feed out'and take up rolls being controlled by the resiliency of the filmitself, and not being deviu' ADOLPH M-.. mos'r.

operated by any mechanical 

